Rumors claim Zane Phillips and Jodie Comer will lead Disney's live-action Hercules remake.
Hercules was released in 1997 as an animated musical starring the son of Zeus as the fearful Hades plots to overthrow the gods of Mount Olympus.
Is a Live-Action Hercules Remake Happening?
A viral Facebook post sparked talk of a live-action Hercules remake at Disney thanks to a poster promoting an all-star cast and a 2027 release date.
The caption promises Zane Phillips (Legacies) will play the titular demigod, with Michael Keaton, Jodie Comer, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Hudson, Stanley Tucci, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost taking on other leading roles.
While the poster, release date, and A-list cast from the viral Facebook post may be fake, a live-action Hercules remake is actually in the works at Disney.
What to know about the real live-action Hercules movie: Shang-Chi writer Dave Callaham boarded to pen the script in April 2020, with Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo involved as producers under their AGBO banner (via The Hollywood Reporter).
As reported by Deadline, Hercules found a director in June 2022 in Aladdin filmmaker Guy Ritchie, but updates since then have proven few and far between.
Several casting rumors surfaced since, including Taron Egerton possibly playing Hercules, Ariana Grande or Dua Lipa playing love interest Meg, and Danny DeVito reprising the Satyr Phil from the animated classic.
Hercules is among several live-action remakes in development at Disney, such as Bambi, Moana, Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and more.
[ Hercules Live Action Movie Release, Cast Rumors & Everything We Know ]
When Will the Live-Action Hercules Remake Release?
As of writing, Disney has yet to announce a release date for the live-action Hercules remake and, unfortunately, development appears to be moving along slowly with hold-ups in the writing stage.
The Russo Brothers confirmed in April 2024 (via Total Film) that they are still "waiting on a script" for the Hercules remake. The news came as a shock as the duo told on the Lights Camera Barstool podcast in February 2021 that “the script is about to come in a week.”
According to Variety, Ritchie recently found his next movie to shoot in October with Wife and Dog, exploring the world of British aristocracy. As Wife and Dog will keep the director occupied until early 2025, even when Callaham completes the script, production won’t start anytime soon.
Looking at the last Disney remake from Ritchie, the blockbuster began filming in September 2017 before releasing almost two years later in May 2019. With Hercules seemingly unlikely to start production before mid-to-late 2025, the remake may not hit theaters until mid-2027 or even 2028.
The Russo Brothers teased to Variety how their Hercules will be “a little bit more experimental in tone [and] execution.” The producers also told Collider how it may not be a "literal translation" of the animated classic and wouldn't commit "one way or the other" as to whether it will be a musical.
The duo revealed to GamesRadar+ how the remake will "certainly pay homage to the original with a more modern spin on it." They also noted it will "embrace that sense of humor" found in the original, keeping it "funny and subversive."
The live-action Hercules has no official release date, but the original 1997 animated movie is streaming on Disney+.
Read more about Disney's live-action animated remakes:
Peter Pan & Wendy Gets Worst-Ever Audience Score for Disney Live-Action Remake
How Disney's Little Mermaid Remake Differs from the Original
Will Rachel Zegler Get Recast as Snow White Following Controversial Comments?
